How do you wash your tools?
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RedneckWelder
Well-known member
Whats the deal with brake cleaner? It's what makes the world go round in the shop.
Cleans components, flashes off quick, doesn't leave a residue, cuts through oil and grime, etc.
We use tons of it. Great stuff.
XxToolAholicxX
Well-known member
Simple green or Ajax then wash with warm water and spray with WD-40 and wipe with clean rag...
Fedwrench
ALLIANCE MEMBER
For real dirty jobs involving ATF or coolant, a trip to the Cuda (hot water parts washer) is quickest.
There have been some great ideas posted in this thread but, I would caution you to be careful with some of the solvents mentioned. Plier grips, screwdriver handles, soft grip ratchet handles, and other non steel items can be damaged by something as common as brake Kleen
Simple green or some of the citrus based cleaners are great for the non steel items. I also like the moistened wipes like scrubs in a tub, lemon go jo and others for a quick wipe down between jobs. They won't damage your tools either.
There have been some great ideas posted in this thread but, I would caution you to be careful with some of the solvents mentioned. Plier grips, screwdriver handles, soft grip ratchet handles, and other non steel items can be damaged by something as common as brake Kleen
Simple green or some of the citrus based cleaners are great for the non steel items. I also like the moistened wipes like scrubs in a tub, lemon go jo and others for a quick wipe down between jobs. They won't damage your tools either.
Thanks for your input. I'll remember not to use anything harsh on non-metal tools. [emoji1]For real dirty jobs involving ATF or coolant, a trip to the Cuda (hot water parts washer) is quickest.
There have been some great ideas posted in this thread but, I would caution you to be careful with some of the solvents mentioned. Plier grips, screwdriver handles, soft grip ratchet handles, and other non steel items can be damaged by something as common as brake Kleen
Simple green or some of the citrus based cleaners are great for the non steel items. I also like the moistened wipes like scrubs in a tub, lemon go jo and others for a quick wipe down between jobs. They won't damage your tools either.
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Old Steamer
Well-known member
My dad was an automotive machinist for 35 years and all he ever did to his tools was wipe them with a red shop towel at the end of the day. I have most of his tools now and other than being old, they look fine.
I do the same thing with mine - wipe them down and put them away. If something absolutely will not come off, WD 40 takes care of it.
I do the same thing with mine - wipe them down and put them away. If something absolutely will not come off, WD 40 takes care of it.
sometoyotaguy
Well-known member
I clean tools and handles with lighter fluid. Removes dirt and grease and doesn't leave an oily residue.
Usually I squirt some on a piece of paper towel and wipe the tool clean. Lighter fluid is also great at removing adhesive.
That's the same as coleman fuel (Naptha)
I usually just wipe things down with a rag. If things are really cruddy, K-1 works great for degreasing parts.
sometoyotaguy
Well-known member
Brake cleaner works well for removing grease and oil
brownsmustang
Well-known member
Wipe them down, using anything to degrease them is begging for rusty tools.
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zmotorsports
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I would say this is dependant on the humidity/moisture levels you are at rather than just using a blanket statement.
Here in northern Utah I have had no issues with rust on my tools in the lifetime I have lived here and I hate oil residue on my tools.
In my race trailer when I put it away for the winter, I do throw a blanket over my toolbox in the trailer but thus far no issues with rust forming on tools that stay in my trailer 24/7 either.
Mike.
brownsmustang
Well-known member
pendragon1998
Well-known member
I use paste wax on bare steel or cast iron to prevent rust. I like the grippiness it leaves.
I would go to garage sales and buy old tools. Some were so dirty that I would soak them in laquar thinner over night. I found that on some sockets that were painted on the inside (Craftsman) the paint would desolve. Does anyone else use laquar thinner to clean your tools? Is this a bad pratice? Jim
AndyA
Well-known member
Chrome tools get a wipe with a paper towel. Maybe they get a little WD40 spray if they have something sticky.
Non-chrome and precision tools (mics, blocks, etc) get Boeshield or Starrett oil.
For non-chrome stuff that I don't use that often and want long term protection (sheet metal hammers, dollys, bucking bars, for example), I mix some paste wax with a little solvent. Then wipe this over the tools. The solvent evaporates and leaves a very thin layer of wax. I just wipe with a solvent rag before using them again.
Non-chrome and precision tools (mics, blocks, etc) get Boeshield or Starrett oil.
For non-chrome stuff that I don't use that often and want long term protection (sheet metal hammers, dollys, bucking bars, for example), I mix some paste wax with a little solvent. Then wipe this over the tools. The solvent evaporates and leaves a very thin layer of wax. I just wipe with a solvent rag before using them again.
crewchief888
Well-known member
actually my "working" tools are a filthy, nasty, greasy, oily, rain/snow covered, mess.
stuff in the garage stays pretty clean...
but the sulfuric acid idea might work.....
bobcatdan
Well-known member
If truely an oil cover gunky mess, a wipe of a rage does just fine. Outside of that I don't think I ever thought of cleaning them.
RAYJAY
Well-known member
first off guess your tools don't get dirty... try tearing down a printing unit covered in ink ,
BTW bleach and sulfuric acid would not cut the ink / grease
what do you use to clean your tools with ??
MagnumForce
Well-known member
Quick dip in the parts washer
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Cato
Well-known member
I don't often get them dirty enough to require more than a paper towel, then a rag with WD40.
However, when I pick up a vintage tool and a restore it, I use denatured alcohol. I've used Easy Off oven cleaner when the grime is thick and deep.
However, when I pick up a vintage tool and a restore it, I use denatured alcohol. I've used Easy Off oven cleaner when the grime is thick and deep.
T_Roze
Well-known member
Shop towel and brake clean. Does the job the first time.
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nutsnbolts
Well-known member
LA Awesome...I have never heard of it. Is it similar to WD40?
BDT/NWMN
Well-known member
Often just wipe them off.. They go in the parts washer if too grubby.. Simple task either way.. If they are not acceptably clean; they don't go back into the tool box..
nutsnbolts
Well-known member
We have a parts washer in the shop that is brand new, hasn't even been set up yet...I have been thinking I should get it set up and run some tools through it 
What about rust? I tried simple green and CLR, and it was okay, but not great and took a LOT of elbow grease. I have heard of using vinegar. Any other suggestions? Also, if a tool was rusty and dirty, would you want to get it clean before attacking the rust, or vice versa?
What about rust? I tried simple green and CLR, and it was okay, but not great and took a LOT of elbow grease. I have heard of using vinegar. Any other suggestions? Also, if a tool was rusty and dirty, would you want to get it clean before attacking the rust, or vice versa?
nutsnbolts
Well-known member
Welcome Ruben 21
mjoekingz28
Well-known member
first off guess your tools don't get dirty... try tearing down a printing unit covered in ink ,
BTW bleach and sulfuric acid would not cut the ink / grease
what do you use to clean your tools with ??
Sorry if I was harsh. I did not really consider those who do this full-time and work on others' cars. Also, to those in the salt belt- I feel for ya!
I try to keep every single part of my vehicles CLP (clean, lubricated, protected/preserved). So when I do use tool, they really dont get dirty. And when Im done with a job, I try to wipe them with something or just about anything. It doesnt really take an exact chemical or product to clean.
I have what I consider mid-level tools. So those of you with the highest strength and quality chrome may do different or may not need much attention at all. Then those of you with bottom basement socket sets may require alot of attention from you.
I will try to be brief, but without sacrificing being thorough. So here goes.
I usually pre 'treat' a tool when new and before ever using it. First of all, I probably wont take it out of the carton/wrapper until I do need it. But when I do first get ahold of it I will generally oil the metal parts. I have been known to oil the tips of screwdrivers, but I think that was a mistake as it may make them cam out more easily.
Lets take a socket set I got several years ago. It is entry level and all six point and comes in a plastic briefcase. I took, IIRC, every socket in it and wipes them down the best I could with WD-40 and a towel of some sort (blue shop towel, paper towel, microfiber, oil rag- it doesnt really matter because we are all different and while some may work better for some on some things, basically any care you take is good). So I would spray the sockets or towel with WD and wipe them. Same with the ratchets and allen keys included in the set. After doing this initially, then whenever it 'needs' it or whenever you feel like it, or even just wiping some kind of oil on a single socket at a time as you use them will, in my opinion, greatly increase their worth.
Increasing their worth is a kind of universal language. First off, we want the tool to grip the fastener and remove it without breaking or damaging it/rounding the corners/points, we dont want to bust our knuckles or get a cramp or tweak a wrist, having it do this everytime we need it to and not deteriorate in the process, keep rust at bay, and not burn your hands when you pick it up(no toxicity).
So, is paragraph will try to answer all the scenarios in the above/previous paragraph. Metallurgy! Maybe snap-ons and Cornwells will have advanced casting techniques, premium ore, and top notch oil quenching- so that may leave the mechanic with less need to tend to the tool(we're talking sockets). So, it seems the socket should crack before it rounds, grinds, or even deforms/bend. Because, either way the tool is now scrap, but by cracking/fracturing, I think it would not harm the bolt/fastener. So, maybe by keeping the tools clean and oiled- we can make them stronger (in many ways), feel better in the hand, stay clean and rust free. I read somewhere that a guy bought a socket set, and the point was, that he never used his odd size 9mm until like twenty years down the road- and it broke easily. Maybe he never tended to it and just hammered down on it the first time he used it in twenty years of ownership. Like a car sitting, if you just leave it parked under a tree in the front yard for twenty years- it will probably be junk. Even if you wash it every month, it will then just be a less dirty piece of junk. We need to keep it in good order so the restoration guys dont have to have a go at it.
As for tools, keep some kind of oil on the metal (bicycle lube, gun oil, motor oil, silicone spray, cooking oil- SOMETHING...... Then the grips of pliers, hammers, etc....maybe armor all or some hand cleaner. Ratchets, if they come dry and you want to- then grease them, but if they wont open or parts want to fly or you dont know how to reassemble it- just soak it in hot oil or something like that. Key is to prevent degradation. For screwdriver, you can use a brush for the tip (nylon if slightly gritty, or a steel brush for terrible conditions), then some oil from the oil can (above fluids, or transmission fluid, gear oil, psf, whatever smells good to you. Then for the grip, use a car wash soap mixed with distilled water in a spray bottle. Spray that on there and see.....
Yep....stoopid expensive. Xylol is the main ingredient....I buy it by the gallon for use as a solvent/adhesive remover/whatever....
Edit: I was thinking of "Goof Off", which is xylol...
http://hpd.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/household/brands?tbl=brands&id=7015003
Last edited:
Dennis Leigh Henry
Well-known member
In most cases a quick wipe with a paper towel or rag with a bit of PB Blaster or Kroil does the job.. They both have enough solvent properties to break up most grease / oil constituents and grime. They also have the added benefit of penetrating any rust or corrosion that may be present in the tool and arresting it a bit..
I just learned about Kroil. It's a tad pricey but if it works as well as people say it does, then it's worth it. I'll give it a try.
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Phantom552
Well-known member
I get kinda crazy with it, a few times a year I go through the process of cleaning every tool.
Sockets: Spray with wd40, PB, jb-80, whatever's around. Use a nylon gun cleaning brush to de-gunk the insides, wipe everything off with a shop towel, spray again, wipe down again to get the last of the grime.
Ratchets: Disassemble, spray all parts with brake cleaner, inspect parts for wear/damage, order repair kits if necessary, apply red lube of love to internals, reassemble.
Wrenches: pretty much same process as sockets.
Screwdrivers: Scrub down with WD-40 and a toothbrush, great at removing stains & discoloration from hard handles. Wipe off WD-40, and done!
Pliers: Disassemble the ones that can be, scrub down with simple green, dry with air nozzle, lube joints with some DuPont Teflon dry spray. Reassemble everything and done.
Anything with wood handles gets an application of tung oil.
Sockets: Spray with wd40, PB, jb-80, whatever's around. Use a nylon gun cleaning brush to de-gunk the insides, wipe everything off with a shop towel, spray again, wipe down again to get the last of the grime.
Ratchets: Disassemble, spray all parts with brake cleaner, inspect parts for wear/damage, order repair kits if necessary, apply red lube of love to internals, reassemble.
Wrenches: pretty much same process as sockets.
Screwdrivers: Scrub down with WD-40 and a toothbrush, great at removing stains & discoloration from hard handles. Wipe off WD-40, and done!
Pliers: Disassemble the ones that can be, scrub down with simple green, dry with air nozzle, lube joints with some DuPont Teflon dry spray. Reassemble everything and done.
Anything with wood handles gets an application of tung oil.
Wow! That's a rigorous process. I don't know if I trust myself disassembling ratchets but I'll give your cleaning process a try.
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ssg57
Active member
Starting fluid and shop rag.
Al Borland
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2016
- Messages
- 1,598
For cleaning up old tools, degreaser, scotch-brite to clean up, CLR or Naval Jelly on rust, and WD-40 to polish when cleaned.
For working tools in my box, paper towels, WD-40, elbow grease.
If that fails....
I get to buy NEW TOOLS!!!!!
For working tools in my box, paper towels, WD-40, elbow grease.
If that fails....
I get to buy NEW TOOLS!!!!!
mattoehler
Active member
- Joined
- May 16, 2015
- Messages
- 35
Just read the whole thread and I'm shocked to see no one mentioned low odor mineral spirits. Just picked up 100 used craftsman/sk/snap on sockets from the pawn shop for about $50 and I let the first batch soak in a container of mineral spirits over night and they came out great!
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